Preston North End striker Kevin Davies has claimed that Gareth Bale has yet to prove his talent on the world stage.
Bale has been the subject of a world record-breaking bid from La Liga giants Real Madrid this summer.
The Spanish side have reportedly offered an eye-watering £105m for the Tottenham Hotspur star, but Davies feels that Bale has not yet made his mark at an elite level.
"For me he still has to prove himself on the big stage before he can be put in the same bracket as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi," Davies told The Mirror.
"Those two have been performing at the highest level for years and show no sign of letting up. I never thought I'd see the day when a footballer was valued at £100m.
"There is a huge question mark currently hanging over Bale's future at Spurs. There is no doubting Tottenham star Gareth Bale was scintillating last season and deservedly picked up both PFA awards."
Bale enjoyed an impressive season for Tottenham in 2012-13, winning both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year award en route to scoring 21 goals in the Premier League.
Paul Gorst
